Rabbi's Corner

In this week’s parashah, Parashat Bo, we read the following: “Consecrate to Me every firstborn that is [the first to] open any womb among the B’nei Yisrael – among man and among animal; it is Mine.” (Shemot 13:2) Even today we know how important the connection between being firstborn and being sanctified to HaShem is.  Long after the destruction of our Holy Temples, we still have the obligation to give our firstborn sons who open the womb in service to HaShem.  However, even without without the Temple, we are still obligated to redeem them from service to Hashem through the ritual of “Pidyon HaBen.”  What this sanctification and this redemption strive to achieve is a good beginning for our firstborn sons.  Rebbe Nachman of Breslov says: “The beginning is the main thing, for all beginnings are difficult…a person’s functioning goes according to the power and enthusiasm that he invested at the beginning…therefore, a person must always make a new beginning, for the old beginning may not have been as good as it should have been, and everything goes according to the beginning. (Likutei Moharan, I:62-65) Of course, the People Israel have the opportunity and the ability to make a new beginning each year on Rosh Hashanah.  T’shuva can indeed be looked upon as being in and of itself a new beginning.  Even in the physical world, a new beginning is recognized as better than an old beginning.  This is true when placing a new weld on an old piece of metal and creating a new growth on a tree.  Perhaps the following Chasidic parable will help elucidate the concept of a new beginning:

It was in the middle of winter in the dark Ukrainian forest.  Two wild turkeys looked high and low for something to eat, but they found nothing but snow and dry leaves. Nothing much remained of either bird except bones and ruffled black feathers.  One turkey gobbled in hunger.  The other silenced him saying “If you keep complaining, we will end up being dinner for the wolves.  They are as hungry as are we!”  Suddenly, they came upon an old owl high up in a poplar tree.  “Excuse us, Comrade Owl, but could you tell us where to find a grain or two of corn?  We are starving!”  The owl who-whooed and told the turkeys to go two miles down the road where they would find an old silo filled with corn.  The owl then flew away searching for a perch where his lofty thoughts would not be interrupted by these two turkeys.

The turkeys looked at each other in total confusion.  Directly in front of them was a crossroads.  They had neglected to ask the owl whether to go to the left or to the right.  They did know that human beings lived in one direction and that wolves lived in the other direction, but they did not know which way was which.  “If our first step is wrong, we are doomed to be tonight’s main course in the wolves’ den,” lamented the first turkey.  The second turkey nodded in agreement stating that hunger was a better fate than being devoured by the razor-toothed carnivores.  With that, they chose the left fork in the road beginning their two-mile journey into the unknown with utter trepidation.  Suddenly they heard howling from deep in the forest!  Rustling their feathers in a shiver of fear, they both exclaimed: “This is the end of us!”

Unexpectedly, they came upon a squirrel scurrying up an old oak tree.  “Squirrel, squirrel,” they cried out, “please help us! To where does this road lead?”  The squirrel replied: “It leads to the wolves’ den, you silly turkeys!  Do you not know that you are in danger?”  The turkeys gobbled and wailed in despair, but the squirrel giggled while munching away at an acorn.  They protested: “Why do you ridicule us, squirrel?  Do you not have any pity for two birds who are about to die?”  The squirrel almost fell off the branch he was sitting upon as he laughed and laughed and laughed.  “About to die?” he exclaimed. “I always heard that turkeys lacked any sense, but I never realized to what extent that was true.  Turn around, you silly turkeys, and get out of here as fast as you can!  Just start a new beginning in the opposite direction, and you will find the silo full of corn.  Cease despairing and being depressed!   Just get up and start anew!”

Thanks to the squirrel, the turkeys backtracked their steps, returned to the crossroads, and took the road to the right.  By virtue of their new beginning, not only did they avoid the bitter fate of falling prey to the wolves, but they had the feast of their lives at the old corn silo.

It is very easy in today’s world to become discouraged and depressed, viewing life with no hope.  A such, we then become like the turkeys of the parable which took the wrong fork in the road.  At such moments, we must stop and take the time to remember Rebbe Nachman’s words.  We must re-engage in life with enthusiasm, trusting in Hashem that all is for the best.  We must “start up” once again!